The cloud storage service changes the way we store our data, provides convenience to access the files on any device as long as you have the Internet connection. There are lots of cloud services for you to choose, and now you hesitate to choose iCloud or OneDrive. To help you make a decision, here in this guide we compare iCloud and OneDrive from 3 aspects, you can first read and then choose one as per your need.

Part 1. iCloud vs OneDrive: Brief Introduction

iCloud was released in 2011 by Apple Inc., it lets users sync data like photos, music, contacts, documents among all Apple devices. As for iCloud Drive, it’s iCloud’s file hosting services for iOS, Mac, and Windows, allows users to store all kinds of files and the data can be kept in sync on all devices. At present, iCloud has 700 million users.

OneDrive is one file hosting service developed by Microsoft, previously known as SkyDrive, Windows Live SkyDrive. Lets users store and access files on Windows PC, Mac, Android, Windows Phone, and iOS. The seamless connectivity with Office 365 is its outstanding feature. There are about 300 million users using OneDrive.

Part 2. iCloud vs OneDrive: Storage and Price

iCloud provides 5 GB storage for free, To get more, you can upgrade to a larger storage plan. The prices vary from country to country. If you are in the United States, it will cost:

$0.99 per month for 50 GB

$2.99 per month for 200 GB

$9.99 per month for 2 TB

OneDrive starts you off with 5 GB, for more storage you need to pay:

$1.99 per month for 50 GB

$6.99 per month for 1 TB

$9.99 per month for 5 TB

Part 3. iCloud vs OneDrive: File Syncing and Sharing

iCloud can help users sync settings, photos, music, contacts, calendar and everything else among Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, Mac. Also offers collaboration through Pages and KeyNote. All those features work well if you are an Apple user, or your coworkers also use Apple products.

OneDrive has supreme compatibility with Windows and Microsoft Office 365 and allows you to easily sync other Microsoft apps with it. Also lets you share files through email or via a link that anybody can use, you can enable editing permissions for the file as per your needs. Also supports iOS, Android, and Windows phone.

Part 4. iCloud vs OneDrive: Security

iCloud encrypts your data when it is being transferred, SSL transit encryption from the web, AES 128-bit protection from mobile device apps. But iCloud does not encrypt emails, if you are worried about this, you can choose to turn off sync option for mail.

OneDrive will also encrypt your data during the transfer, with the help of TLS and 256-bit AES. However, it does not offer at-rest encryption to personal accounts, which means the files you upload are sitting unencrypted on OneDrive servers.

Part 5. iCloud vs OneDrive Conclusion

From the above, we can learn that iCloud and OneDrive both have their pros and cons. As for which one to choose, it depends on your needs.

For an Apple production user, especially who own iPhone, iPad or Mac at the same time. iCloud is a good choice. You can access data on any device easily for the great integration.

For anyone who uses Windows PC or with various devices, then OneDrive is a better choice. Allows you to sync Microsoft apps with it. And also supports almost every major OS and has apps for Android, iOS and Windows devices.

The Bottom Line

That’s all about iCloud vs OneDrive. Hope it can help you. If you like this guide, just share it with your friends.

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